The Right Choice
by Luuna Lovegood
Summary: Sirius comforts Harry when he has a nightmare at Grimmauld Place. Molly doesn't like this and asks Harry to make a choice on who to have as a parenting figure. Slight Molly bashing maybe?


_Okay so rereading OoTP, I just couldn't keep this story inside anymore to be honest. Now I normally don't like this kind of thing but this has Molly Weasley bashing in accordance to her character in OoTP._

* * *

Coming to Grimmauld Place was a heck of a lot better than staying at the Dursleys even though the nightmares did not go away. Sharing a room with Ron, Harry attempted to be careful as to not wake his best friend up due to his own nightmares but this night he couldn't help it. He was revisiting the graveyard and as Cedric was killed and his blood was taken, he woke up, screaming from the pain.

"Harry, mate are you ok?" Ron's voice was groggy and far but it sounded concerned.

Harry wanted to scream more because it felt like his scar was on fire but he could not answer as the door opened and Sirius as well as Molly were there.

"Harry dear are you alright?" Molly was the first to ask.

"S-Sirius," Harry managed to say. "My scar hurts and I had a bad dream."

Sirius immediately knelt by his side. "Do you want to come with me to my room?"

Harry leaned over and rested his head against Sirius's chest, burying it in the warmth, too embarrassed to say he would like that. It made him feel like a child seeking protection and his cheeks heated up at the thought and he hid his face further. "Um…" He had never been held as a child so this did feel kind of nice but he didn't want the others laughing at him.

Sirius saw his expression and chuckled a little, despite himself. "Ron, will you be okay by yourself?"

"Ron can come with the twins," Molly said although something in her voice sounded off. Harry could tell that even with his face buried in his godfather's chest, she sounded a little irritated…was she still thinking about the argument her and Sirius had earlier? Honestly, Sirius had been right anyway and Molly should not have taunted his godfather about Azkaban so there was nothing to be upset about. But before he could say anything, Ron agreed with his Mom and he got up to go with Sirius to his room which was a lot bigger and nicer than his one he shared with Ron.

"Sorry Sirius," Harry mumbled, still a bit embarrassed.

Sirius laughed. "You sound so much like James right now…he was embarrassed to be protected or receive affection too."

Harry shook his head. "I'm just not used to it…when I was younger, I used to want it so I guess it's a bit new for me to have someone who will do that. I mean, I don't like being treated like a child all the time, especially not by Mrs. Weasley but…um…I'm ok if it's you." It's not that he didn't like Mrs. Weasley. He couldn't not like her, she was like a Mom to him but she was overbearing at times while Sirius knew how to keep a balance – when to be protective and when to loosen the hold a little.

Sirius's face fell a little but Harry couldn't tell why until his godfather pulled him tighter to his chest. "I'm sorry Harry. I should have never gone after Peter. I should have taken care of you."

Harry blinked a bit. "It's okay. You were upset at losing Mom and Dad. They were your best friends. You loved them."

"They were my best friends," Sirius agreed. "But you're my responsibility…my godson. I should have focused on you. Because of my recklessness, you were never able to get the love you deserved as a child."

Harry didn't like seeing Sirius regretting things he couldn't change and frowned. "It's not over yet, Sirius. Right now, when you came and asked me if I wanted to come and sleep in your room tonight, I liked it. I was embarrassed because I liked it…I know I'm not a child anymore but it feels good to be one in those situations."

Sirius was silent for a moment, gently running his fingers through Harry's hair in a soothing gesture before speaking. "Harry, no matter how old you are, you can always come to me. I promise."

Harry smiled softly. "Thanks Sirius." He pulled away a small bit. "I'm not sure how to get to sleep."

Sirius moved to a chair and sat down, resting Harry's head in his lap. "Try and sleep like this. Once you're sleeping, we'll move to a bed ok?"

Harry flushed shyly again but obeyed. He could get used to this…it was close to having his Mom and Dad back.

* * *

"Molly, we should be happy for Harry," Arthur said wearily, watching his wife pace back and forth in their room. "Harry has family to turn to now when in distress."

Molly was fuming. "We were his family first! He always turned to us! And now when he has a nightmare, he turned to Sirius…who hasn't even been there for him that long."

"Molly," Arthur said sighing. "That's not Sirius's fault. He loves Harry as much as we do. Don't be jealous."

"I'm not jealous," Molly denied. Fine, maybe a bit but it was natural. Harry had to choose one of them and she knew he had to choose her over Sirius since she had been there for him longer than Sirius had. She came back and sat down on the bed. It took a Calming Draught for her to get to sleep and she was glad Arthur didn't argue with any longer.

* * *

Harry had managed to get a decent night's sleep thanks to Sirius coddling him like something of a protective parent, not enough to smother him but certainly enough to help him get some rest as they came to breakfast the next morning.

"Harry," Molly said once Harry had begun eating. "I've wanted to talk to you about something dear."

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked after swallowing down his food because it was rude to talk with your mouth full.

"You went to Sirius last night when you had a nightmare," Molly said curtly. "Arthur and I as well as our whole family have been there for you a lot longer than Sirius has…"

"That wasn't Sirius's fault," Harry said a little indignantly. "He was trapped in Azkaban."

"I know that," Molly said as if Harry hadn't interrupted. "But you need to make a decision, Harry. I consider you like a son, Harry but if you'd rather turn to Sirius, maybe it's better I just view you as my son's best friend."

Harry's jaw dropped and he glanced at Sirius who had turned pale, to the other Weasleys who looked shocked and to Arthur who looked like he wished the ground would swallow him whole. "Are you asking me to choose between you and Sirius?"

"Yes dear," Molly said and Harry bit his lip. He loved Molly, he really did but while he did consider them _like_ family, Sirius _was_ family. He felt bad at doing this and sent an apologetic look at Ron who wouldn't look at him and Hermione who seemed to be almost glaring at Molly but he reached out, grasping Sirius's hand on his own.

"You're like family to me Mrs. Weasley and I love you," Harry said seriously. "But I love Sirius more. He is my family. And if I have to choose, I'll always choose him, multiple times over. He's the reason I was even able to sleep last night. He may have not been able to be there for me but he is now. He knows when I should be treated like an adult and when I needed to be treated like a child."

Sirius squeezed Harry's hand back but didn't say anything.

Molly pursed her lips. "Very well." She didn't say anything more but went into the kitchen.

Harry glanced at Ron. "Ron…"

Ron shook his head. "No, mate you did the right thing. Sirius, I'm sorry…"

Sirius just nodded, pulling Harry close. "Love you too kiddo." There was nothing more to be said. Harry had chosen him and for now, that meant the world.


End file.
